Don’t Dig the E-Cigs

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Electronic cigarettes, otherwise known as e-cigarettes, are battery operated devices that heat up the e-liquid contained inside to produce a vapor that can be inhaled, offering a similar sensation to smoking a normal cigarette. E-cigarettes are commonly used by people attempting to slowly ease themselves to stop smoking traditional cigarettes. These devices are illegal to be sold to minors, but they are commonly used by high school students.

E-cigarettes are less harmful than normal cigarettes, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous as well. These devices can cause many negative health risks, including brain, lung and heart damage, preterm deliveries or stillbirths in pregnant women and possibly cancer.

The younger a person is, the higher chance they have of getting addicted to nicotine, therefore, younger people including teenagers are more vulnerable to e-cigarettes than adults. Their brains are also still in the process of developing and the quantity of nicotine may slow down or even stop the process altogether.Smoking these devices can also cause several mental health problems such as headaches, dizzy spells, drowsiness and dry mouth.

The U.S Food and Drug Administration are taking steps to regulate e-cigarette sales to minors, and officials call vaping by teens to be at “epidemic levels.” There is very limited federal oversight over e-cigarettes and other vaping devices. The FDA executed a paramount over the summer by issuing over 1,300 fines and warning letters to gas stations, convenience stores and other stores for selling e-cigarettes to minors illegally. They also threatened JUUL, Vuse, Logic, Blu and MarkTen XL companies that if they can’t prove that they don’t sell these devices to minors, the FDA agency may discontinue the vending of devices with flavors that are most commonly bought by kids under the age of 18.

According to HealthDay News, these devices increase a smoker’s chance of quitting by 60 percent but it can also be the first step for teenagers or young adults to get into something that is just as addictive.